Impeovement in cigab peesses



G. HEISS. Cigar Press.

- Patented Nov. 20,1866. '4

mien tetra gaunt {fifty IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR rssssss.

SPECIFICATION.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Hnlss, of Lancaster, in the county ofLancaster, and State of Pennsylvania,

have invented a new and improved device for Pressing Cigars; and I dohereby declare that the following isa 'full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same,referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 shows'an ordinary press with myimprovements in place. I Figure 2 one form of a single mould case orpress, resting on its removable bottom 0, held by pins. Figure 3 showsthe top, P, with a series of ledges, H, and pins, I. Figure4 shows theopen cells of the central press frame with the top, P, and bottom, 0,removed 0 exhibit the blocks, E, perforated for the rod, G, and springs,F. l l I Figure 5 shows a mould case or pressing frame of full size-fourfeet long, nine inches wide-upon a filling-in board, I, provided at eachend with a raised flange and handled screw, D.

Figure 6 illustrates a six angled-cigar, or modes of pressing otherforms than square. The facility of packing and demand for pressed cigarshaveinduced tobacconists to invent devices to accom plish that object,and already various inventions have been made. After trial, in myextensive factory, of several modes, I have found the following superiorto any before tried: I use an ordinary press (fig. 1,) four feet long inthe clear, and nine inches wide, with a projecting ledge, R, on eachside in the rear, against which the, ends or back corners of the casesare pushed as they are piled one upon the other, being a-vertical gauge,which also brings the front of the cases plumb under the press screws.On each of the vertical sides of the press in front;

I have a board, Q, with slots and binding-screws, S, so that when thecases are in place, these boards, Q, are slid in to hold the boxes atthe front corners, and screws, S, are tightened so that the casesnumbered 1, 2, 3 to 10,

are firmly held in place centrally under the screws while pressing, aplan superior to side grooves and tongued press-boards. I am not awarethat adjustable side slides, Q, and back strips, R, haveever before beenused for pressing cases and keeping them in plece. Fig. 5 shows afull-sized frame with its cross-slats upon its bottom, 0, placed upon afilling-inboard, L; this filling-in board has a front and rear ledge, L,(shown only On one side or end,) the height of the combined bottom 0,and press frame A, 13 C a threaded bur or female screw centrally, or ahandled screw, D, on the end of which there is a forked piece, K, toadmit the front end, A, of l the press frame; the lower ledge, N, isadmitted ,into a groove n cut in the bottom 0, under the frame. On theupper prong of K, there is a piece, M, held by a pivot, so that it. maybe turned up; and when the frame piece, A, is

embraced, the lock or press block, M, is turned down-against N or lowerprong, and fills the space between the outer end, A, of the frame, andthe inner sliding cross-piece B, so that when the screw handle is turnedthe pressure is given to the slats and cells the same as if a screw wereaflixed to each end of the press frame, as shown: by figs. 2, 4,. And bygnean s of a single filling-in board, all the frames m be, pressed orthe cells screwed up to the gauge, and held in that position byinserting a key or plug, T "as a wedge between A and B, when the top, P,is put on, and, pressing the frame or case removed, and another emptyframe placed upon the filling-in board filled, and the cigars pressed ononeside until all the combined cases are filled and placed upon thepress, fig, 1, where the other side of each cigar receives the finalpressure and finish. The construction and operation of my open frameswill be readily understood by inspection of fig. 4, which shows a frame,A G, with a screw,

D, centrally on each end piece A. These pieces are also braced by aheaded rod'i" G, on each, side with a screw,

and bur at the other end. Over these rods, G, the one sliding piece, B,is inserted then a short block, E, with a perforation for a short spiralspring, around the rods, G, on each side; then a slat, 5, andblook withspring, and so on, slat after slat, with their respective blocks, E, andsprings, F, to the centre of the frame; The central slat, marked 1, maybe framed in or firmly fastened to the frame, the succeeding slats,blocks, and springs, movable on the rods to the final slidingcross-piece, B. Fig. 4 shows the upper portion of the frame with itscells for containing the cigars closed up to the blocks The lowerportion shows the cells relaxed, and the action of the springs, theposition thecell's are in when theyare used for filling-in, placed uponthe bottom board, 0, or for dislodg ing the cigars after they have hadtheir requisite pressure both ways. Fig. 2 shows the press frameon itsbottom held by pins on the bottom entering holes in the lower side ofthe frame, similar to those shown on the top at G, for the pins, I, intop, I, fig. 3. When the cells are opened, (by turningthe screw thesprings act and separate the slats,) the cells are filled with thefresh-made cigars, and then screwed up fromboth sides, either by thescrews on each end, or, the screws, D, on the filling-in board; whenscrewed up as far as the gauge blocks, E, admit, the slatted top, P, isput down upon the frame. These slats fit into the cells, (H fig. 3,) byinserting the pins, I, into the holes, C, in the frame, and whenplaced,'with others, under the large press, fig. 1, the slats, H, on thetop P, press between the slats in the frame or cells containing thecigars, and flatten the top and bottom of the cigar having the sidespreviously pressed between the slats in the frame, completing thepressure, and giving the cigar superior finish. The enpanded cellsaflord the greatest facility, and can be filled with great ease in avery short time, pressed between the slats, the top put .on, placed inthe large press with 'despatch, and are much easier dislodged than whenplaced in alternate eellsmade by the union of two pieces with flexiblebacks, as the curving process is less satisfactory than when the cellsopen and dislodge them at once in regular layers. I I

I Believing the description full'and clear, and readily comprehended bythe drawings, this description may suifice to enable any one skilled tomake the same.

I am aware that a combination of two flexible pieces-top and bottom-eachwith slats of uniform height and width, so made as to mesh one into theother, have been used, leaving alternate spaces or cells by means ofhigher side pieces for the purpose of pressing cigars; I am also awarethat metallic strips have been used between two boards heldin slits madeat regular intervals, between which the cigars previously flattened areplaced into the cells and then pressed; so with the former device thecigars are also flattened by pressure before they are inserted in thecells. They are put directly into my expanded cells as they come fromthe hands of the workmen. When the top and bottom are removed, my cellsare open above and belowand the sides relaxed, and no possible injurycan befalb the wrappers by sticking or otherwise.

I disclaim the foregoing, mentioned devices. What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-'- 7 p g I "1. Theframe A A, G O, with its movable ends B, and slats 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., incombination with the rods G, springs and blocks E F, arranged andoperating in the manner and for the purpose specified. 1

2. I also claim the arrangement of the open frame A C, and it parts, incombination with the top P, with its slats H, and pins I, and bottom O,substantially made and usedfor the purpose specified.

3. I also claim the construction of the filling-in board L, with itshandled screws in combination with the with the forked terminus K, N,turning press block M, when employed for the purpose and the mannerspecified.

GEORGE HEIss. Witnesses J 01m M. Anwne,

Jncon STAUFFER'

